How long does it take for a baby's umbilical cord to heal?

Описание: When your baby was inside of you, they were connected to you via the placenta and umbilical cord. And you've probably learned at this point in your life that we all have belly buttons because we are connected to our moms at some point. After the baby is born, the umbilical cord is clamped and cut, and this will leave an umbilical cord stump that needs to dry out and fall off. And this usually happens within 1 to 3 weeks after the baby's birth. In order for it to dry up, you need to keep it dry, so this means giving your baby sponge baths until it has fallen off and also keeping it outside of the diaper. Some diapers actually have a little notch in them and that will keep the umbilical cord stump outside of the diaper, but if you don't have those, just simply fold it down a little bit to make sure that it stays outside and it's not subject to the contents of the diaper, which will get it wet and also contaminate it. You don't actually have to do anything to it, you just need to watch it. The American Academy of Pediatrics used to recommend that you get alcohol swabs and wipe around the area to get it to dry out sooner and to keep it clean, but research has shown that that doesn't really have any benefit, and so you don't need to do anything. Like I said, just watch it.

The umbilical cord stump shouldn't hurt at all, so if you notice that you're touching the skin around the umbilical cord stump, or you're actually touching the cord when you're changing your baby's diaper or something, and they wince in pain or cry, that may be a sign of infection and that's something to talk with your baby's doctor about. Also, if you notice yellow drainage or if it's foul-smelling, those, too, are signs of infection. Another concern is bleeding. You may notice a few little dots of blood or little red flecks on your baby's diaper as it dries out and begins to fall off, and that's normal. But if it's actively bleeding, you need to have them seen as soon as possible by a doctor. And if you notice that the umbilical cord just seems to be hanging by a thread, don't pull it off. Let it fall off spontaneously on its own, and on its own time.

There are a couple of other issues that can exist with umbilical cord stumps, including umbilical granulomas and umbilical hernias. If your baby has either of these, your baby's doctor will work with you and tell you what needs to be done to address it. If you have more questions for me in the future, feel free to ask them on our Facebook page at   / intermountainmoms  , and recommend us to your friends and family too.